Australian electrical and furniture retailer Harvey Norman will open its 10th store in the Republic tomorrow as part of its ongoing expansion plan.
The new store is located in the Drogheda Retail Park, Co Louth. Approximately 50 people will be employed in the outlet, although recruitment is still underway. This will bring Harvey Norman's Irish workforce to roughly 460.
The Australian retailer already has a strong presence in Ireland, with outlets dispersed throughout the State, and plans to continue rolling out stores here.
"Certainly we're looking to expand in the future," said Aidan Brady, general manager of finance and administration at Harvey Norman's Irish unit. "We're going to be looking at opportunities and sites across Ireland." He said that over the next two years, Harvey Norman will become "truly nationwide".
Harvey Norman, best known for its brash advertisments, first entered the Irish market three years ago when its opened stores in Swords, north Dublin, and Dundalk, Co Louth.
The latest available accounts for Harvey Norman Holdings (Ireland) Ltd, which runs the Irish unit, show that the company recorded a loss of €2.283 million in the year ended June 30th, 2005.
However, this was a significant improvement on the previous year in which it lost over €3.2 million. Turnover grew considerably from €26.8 million to €35.9 million.
According to the 2006 annual report of its Australian parent company, sales revenue from company-owned stores in Ireland increased by €20.22 million in the year ended June 30th, 2006.
